ABSTRACT
T he current existence of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and their cultures is a tribute to their resilience. These groups have survived attempts of outsiders toward extermination, relocation, and destruction of their language, culture, and religion. American Indi-
ans and Alaska Natives could not escape this oppression because it was occurring in their own homeland (Duran, Duran, Brave Heart, & Yellow Horse-Davis, 1998). The oppression that native groups have experienced in this country has been conceptualized as hate crimes, although American Indians and Alaska Natives receive limited attention as hate crime victims (Herring, 1999). Yet American Indians and Alaska Natives remain vibrant and growing groups in the United States.
